Female Infertility affects about 48 million women around the world.
About 10 percent of reproductive-age couples in the United States have difficulty getting pregnant.
Stimulating ovulation with fertility hormones or drugs is the main treatment for women who are infertile due to ovulation disorders, these medications regulate or induce ovulation.
Drugs useful for stimulating ovulation are:
Clomiphene citrate: this drug causes ovulation by acting on the pituitary gland. It is often used in women who have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or other problems with ovulation. Clomiphene citrate acts as a fertility agent in women by inducing superovulation, i.e. the release of multiple eggs in a given menstrual cycle. This medicine is taken by mouth.
Bromocriptine and Cabergoline: these drugs are used to reduce the amount of prolactin released by the pituitary in women with ovulation problems due to high levels of prolactin. Potential side effects include nausea, vomiting, nasal congestion, headache, dizziness, fainting, and decreased blood pressure.
Medrol: a steroid provided daily for four days during the cycle to assist with pre-embryo implantation.
Injectable hormones used for stimulating ovulation are:                Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) usually in combination with other fertility drugs and nutritional supplement, to trigger the ovaries to release the mature egg or eggs;        Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH);        Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG). This drug combines both FSH and LH (luteinizing hormone).        Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH. This hormone stimulates the release of FSH and LH from the pituitary gland. These hormones are rarely prescribed in the U.S.        Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Agonist (GnRH agonist);        Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Antagonist (GnRH antagonist).        
All these drugs/hormones can be used for increasing oocyte fertilization in vivo or in vitro.
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process by which oocyte is fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment for infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing oocyte or oocytes from the woman's ovaries and letting sperm fertilise them in a fluid medium in a laboratory. The fertilised oocyte (zygote) cultured for 2-6 days in a growth medium is then transferred to the patient's uterus with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy.
It is reported that fertility hormones and drugs for the primary treatment for women with ovulation disorders are endowed with side effects.
It is reported that fertility in women is affected by oxidative stress due to the exposures to alcohol, tobacco smoke and/or environmental pollutants.
In Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2009 June; 21(3): 219-222 it is reported that the role of oxidative stress in female fertility is an understudied and compelling area for investigation; and that identifying modifiable factors to decrease oxidative stress in the gynecologic environment may be an inexpensive and noninvasive therapy for increasing fertility. In order to improve reproductive health of female (human or animals) it has been recommended to feed a good multivitamin preparation and include sufficient amounts of antioxidants and supplements in the diet.
Vitamin E is crucial to proper reproductive function in women, in fact, the chemical name for vitamin E, “tocopherol,” originated from the Greek words tokos, which means “offspring,” and phero, which means “to bear.” Vitamin E protects hormones from oxidation. Vitamin E becomes less available in selenium processed foods and exposure to harmful oxidizing agents, supplementation with 400-800 IU of vitamin E daily may improve fertility.
In Fertil Steril. 2008 March; 89(3):668-76. Epub 2007 Jul. 10, it is reported that Folic acid supplementation may improve fertility in women.
In Hum Reprod. 1999 July; 14(7):1690-7, it is reported that oral L-arginine supplementation in poor responder patients may improve ovarian response, endometrial receptivity and pregnancy rate.
In Anim. Reprod. Sci. 2012 September; 134(1-2):69-75, it is reported that carnitines, in vitro or in vivo, have beneficial effects on oocytes and embryo development.
In Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2007; 86(2):218-22, it is reported that N-Acetyl cysteine is proved effective in inducing or augmenting ovulation in polycystic ovary patients.
In Eur J Endocrinol. 2012 May; 166(5):765-78, it is reported that vitamin D is involved in female reproduction.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,857 teaches a method for increasing the possibility of conception while enhancing nutritional stores for a developing embryo or fetus prior to and during pregnancy by administering to an animal during a period commencing prior to at least two weeks before conception a specific dose of vitamin B6 and folic acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,079 teaches a fertility kit to enhance natural fertility comprising specific dose ranges of L-arginine, L-cysteine, selenium, vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, vitamin B-6, Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), vitamin A, folic Acid, at least one phytoestrogen, along with several devices used in the promotion ovulation.
As reported above, the use of fertility hormones/drugs is endowed with side effects which may be mild or relevant.
Therefore, needs exist for new pharmaceutical/nutraceutical compounds/compositions useful for improving fertility in women while reducing side effects due to the use of fertility hormones/drugs.